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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

I am really a newbie. Downloaded Mint to a disk a couple of months ago and it ran from the disk on my laptop. I decided to install Mint to my laptop hard drive and totally replace MS.

I think I have done something pretty bad to my laptop software which will now not do anything. When I turn it on a Dell screen comes on briefly, then the screen goes dark except for a slowly blinking cursor thing in the upper left corner. Pushing a key produces a loud beep noise, but no characters on the screen. I just put a Live Mint 14.1 MATE disk that I bought from OsDisk into the drive hoping it would boot the laptop or start up Linux. I can hear the disc start to run, then silence and no action from the computer (HP Latitude D620). Now what?

Not long ago, I wanted to put some flavor of linux on an old Windows-based Dell desktop my daughter gave me. So I bought several live CDs from OSDisc, including Ubuntu, Fedora, and SUSE. I tried each of these several times, booting and running off the CD drive. In the end, only the Ubuntu would actually boot the machine. I suspect the others did not support the Dell display card. My suggestion, lame as it might be (but what I would do), would be to try other linux distributions. If you have another working machine, you can download an Ubuntu iso image from http://www.ubuntu.com/. I believe this linuxquestions site has a link to various distribution sources, too. Of course, then you must be able to burn a bootable CD from the iso file.

Turn the computer on and start pressing F2 - it's a bit like an old Alien Attack game, turn the coputer on, start firing, if the setup screen doesn't comes up: you've lost and have to start over again. What you should get is a blue & white text screen. Use the ==> key to move to <Boot>, hit enter and follow the instructions on the RH facing side of the screen to move CD/DVD/CD-ROM to the top of the tree. While you're at it, you might like to sort out the precedence of the other boot devices.

I glad your problem is resolved. If you could, please mark the thread 'Solved'. Only the OP can do that, its in the thread tools at the top. It helps other users that might read your thread, knowing what the solution was.